Listen to the news

Twenty-five people were detained today in Belgium as part of an investigation into Chinese prostitution and its network with branches in Spain.

This was announced by the federal prosecutor's office, BTA reported, referring to AFP.

The Belgian police carried out 26 searches during the operation and found "more than 20 alleged victims" – all of them women of Chinese origin, the department said.

At the request of Belgian justice, another suspect was arrested in Spain, searches were carried out in Barcelona and Alicante.

It is one of the most large-scale operations in recent years in criminal circles that traffic in human beings in Belgium, prosecutor's spokesman Eric van Duys told AFP. 

Dozens arrested in Europe in connection with encrypted drug-trafficking app

Most of the suspects are of Chinese origin.

The network, described as a "criminal organization", recruited women in China and took them to Europe, where they were "exploited mostly as prostitutes" using specialized websites.

The organization used "hotels and resort facilities" for its activities.

Most victims did not have regular documents and this increased their dependence on the network.

They were often moved around Europe and had to hand over a large portion of their earnings to their bosses.

The suspects, arrested in Belgium, are to be questioned by the police and, subsequently, probably by the investigating judge who headed the investigation.

Belgium

mafia

prostitution

Chinese people